NDHHS NEWS
CARSON CITY — The Nevada Department of Health and Human Service’s Division of Public and Behavioral Health is one of only 7 states to receive the federal Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant. The award is for $8,677,011 over 4 years ($2,035,011 for the first year and $2,214,000 for each of the next 3 years) and is intended to fund pilot studies which will develop and evaluate the effectiveness of school programs designed to improve behavioral health.
For the first time, the grant was awarded at the state level in order to create linkage on all levels of government, schools and community based coalitions to identify ways to improve behavioral health in three pilot schools.
The sub-grants will be awarded to the Children’s Cabinet of Northern Nevada on behalf of the Washoe County School District; the Healthy Communities Coalition on behalf of the Lyon County School District; and the Nye Community Coalition on behalf of the Nye County School District. The funding will initially be used to gather data and conduct research. The next phase is to create and implement plans, and the final phase is to evaluate the effectiveness. Ultimately the goals of the grant are to: 1) Increase the number of children and youth who have access to behavioral health services in the pilot regions; 2) Decrease the number of students who abuse substances; 3) Increase supports for early childhood development; 4) Improve school climates; and 5) Reduce the number of students who are exposed to violence.
If the plans are successful and the pilot groups achieve their goals, the program will be implemented statewide.
“Addressing suicide, substance abuse and unsafe schools is of critical importance and significant need across the Country for school aged children. I am particularly proud to receive this grant for Nevada knowing it will have a positive impact in the lives of our young people – who are our future,” said Mike Willden, Director, Department of Health and Human Services.
Link to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Press Release:http://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/advisories/1310230410.aspx
Background:
Data: There are 224,163 children in Nevada ages 0-5 and 61.9 percent of these children live in households where all parents work and therefore require some type of non-parental Early Care and Education (ECE). In Lyon County, there are 4,076 children age 0-5, in Nye County there are 2,647, and in Washoe County 33,423.
According to the Washoe County School District (WCSD) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System survey (YRBSS) administered to 2,029 middle school and 2,318 high school students in 2011, 22.3 percent of middle school students and 16.5 percent of high school students considered suicide; 13.8 percent of middle school and 14 percent of high school students actually developed a plan to commit suicide and 7.8 percent of middle school and 10.8 percent of high school students attempted suicide.
Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Use – According to the WCSD YRBSS in 2011, the following are the statistics for alcohol, tobacco and other drug use:
Alcohol:
• 39 percent of middle school students indicated they had at least one drink of alcohol in their life
• Out of the high school students, 26.1 percent indicated that they participated in binge drinking, 41.7 percent indicated drinking in the last 30 days and 70.8 percent indicated drinking alcohol at some point in their life.
• 8.9 percent of high school students stated they drove a car while drinking, 24.5 percent of high school students stated that in the last 30 days they rode in a car driven by someone drinking, and 27.9 percent of high school students indicated that in their lifetime they rode in a car driven by someone drinking.
Tobacco:
• 7.4 percent of middle school students indicated smoking cigarettes in the last 30 days and 23.3 percent indicated smoking cigarettes throughout their lifetime.
• 16 percent of high school students indicated smoking cigarettes in the last 30 days and 40.3 percent indicated smoking cigarettes throughout their lifetime.
Drugs:
• 8 percent of middle school students indicated a lifetime use of drugs (marijuana, stimulants, inhalants, prescription drug) and 18 percent of high school students indicated a lifetime use of these drugs.
• 17.9 percent of middle school students and 26.5 percent of high school students stated they had used marijuana in the last 30 days and 46.1 percent of high school student reported a lifetime use of marijuana
• 31.8 percent highs school students stated they had been offered, sold or given drugs
• 24.5 percent of high school students attend school under the influence 20
Unsafe Schools – According to the WCSD YRBS in 2011, the following data describes unsafe schools:
Bullying:
· 21.7 percent of middle school students stated that they were victims of teasing due to race/ethnicity.
· 23.2 percent reported being bullied electronically in their lifetime and 41.9 percent reported being bullied at school in their lifetime.
• 19.4 percent of middle school and 21.5 percent of high school students reported sometimes, rarely or never feeling safe and secure school.
Violent activity/Gang activity:
• 30.5 percent of middle school and 51.4 percent of high school students reported gang activity at their school
• 3.5 percent of middle school and 6.5 percent of high school students carried a weapon to school in the past 30 days.
Substances Treated for Adolescents
| Nye | Washoe | Lyon | |
| Marijuana | 35 | 281 | 36 |
| Alcohol | 7 | 81 | 29 |
| Methamphetamine | 3 | 4 | 0 |
| Opiate | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| Other | 5 | 20 |
